Security mounts of the above-mentioned general type are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,429 discloses a security mount which uses epoxy adhesives and a tension cable to secure a computer and a peripheral piece of equipment to a surface. The security mount includes a first pad which is fixedly attached to a surface and is coated with an epoxy adhesive for holding a computer in a stationary position. A second pad is bolted at a single point onto the peripheral piece of equipment. The peripheral piece of equipment is tethered to the surface by using a tension cable to connect the second pad to an overhang portion located on the first pad.
Security mounts in the prior art, such as the one disclosed in the above-discussed patent, have a number of disadvantages. First, the method of mounting equipment in a stationary position onto a surface limits both the flexibility and accessibility of that piece of equipment, and thereby interferes with a user's ability to effectively operate the equipment in an efficient manner. In addition, security mounts of this type prove to be unduly burdensome in that they restrict the freedom of movement of the equipment during its re-location and repair.
Second, security mounts disclosed in the prior art require a separate mount for each piece of equipment to be protected. This is not only inconvenient, but also requires a number of suitable mounting surfaces to be found, increasing the probability that the surface to which the mount is secured is inadequate, or that the equipment will be left unprotected because insufficient space is available for all of the necessary security mounts.
Third, in cases where the tethering cable is attached by mounting hardware, such as bolts, the hardware is left exposed, making it easy for a thief to remove the mounting hardware, and therefore the tethering cable, from the pads to which it is attached. Finally, the use of epoxy adhesives is itself an ineffective method for securing pieces of equipment to a surface. Therefore, a need exists to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages by providing a security mount with an enhanced capability to secure equipment against theft, while providing greater flexibility and mobility of the equipment during its use, relocation and repair.